Rebecca Winters has previously set romance novels in Texas
and Wyoming. In her new series 'Sapphire Mountain Cowboys'
she moves the action to Montana. I enjoyed A VALENTINE FOR
THE COWBOY. A recent arrival from California is Brianna
Frost, just out of college, who escapes the sadness of her
family home to work in the Western saddlery shop owned by
her aunt and uncle. A customer who sparks her interest is
Roce Clayton, of a ranching and gem mining family. Roce is
pleasant, but his brother Eli is in need of help.
Eli is divorced after a too-brief marriage left him
literally holding the baby. His little daughter Libby means
the world to him. When he first meets Brianna, she's
holding his little girl. Eli is less polite than he could
be, and coupled with the fact that he's wearing his wedding
ring, Brianna immediately considers the good-looking man
off-limits. Matters gradually change as Eli faces up to the
fact that his marriage is over and Libby needs more
attention than he is able to give. Could the newcomer be
the answer? And why would she be willing to spend time with
a stranger - who hasn't made a great first impression?
What's more, doesn't Libby's future require that Eli tries
to get back with her mother?
While the story starts in midwinter, I like that the good
people get out, meet and have fun regardless of weather. A
rodeo, town dining and meeting friends are great ways to
stay cheerful through winter. The depths to the plot are
quite complex and leave us wondering exactly what will
happen, and what would be best for the families concerned.
If you've ever been in such an emotional turmoil you have
my sympathy! But life has a way of working out as people
grow and change.
Other issues through the story include water contaminated
by mine runoffs, which apparently affects a lot of ranchers
in this area even after mines are closed. But without the
mines, there would be no beautiful sapphires for Valentine
gift rings... I'll say no more! A VALENTINE FOR THE COWBOY
is worth a read and will make you look forward to spring.
I'll be checking out more books by Rebecca Winters as her
characters are extremely well drawn and she helps us
understand their world.
After a
painful divorce that left him the sole parent of his sweet
baby girl, Eli Clayton shut the door on relationships. Hard.
Then he walks into his ranching family's small-town gem shop
and sees his daughter in the arms of a stunning woman whose
eyes are the color of Montana blue sapphires. And he
melts.
Brianna Frost can't deny the serious
attraction between her and the hunky cowboy dad, or the bond
she has with his little girl. Still, Brianna can't quite
shake the feeling that Eli's ex is still in his life—and in
his heart. Would falling for this Clayton cowboy mean loving
a family who could never be hers?